


That Would Be Enough

by Shanynde



Category: All Elite Wrestling, Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-03-30 21:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19035916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shanynde/pseuds/Shanynde
Summary: 3 perspectives and emotions when 1/3rd of the Shield left.  Kayfabe and Real Life





	That Would Be Enough

Regret 

It hurt. It fucking hurt. His wrestling soulmate was leaving. His anchor, his equal, his rock was choosing to walk away from their shared passion. A part of him didn’t believe it. Anytime something wasn’t working, the company would throw the two of them together and it was an explosion of passion, storytelling and skill. They made magic together. They could read each other with a glance and made each other better. They had a million more stories to tell together. They would have those stories, but it would no longer be together. Now it would be watching each other on phones, imagining matches and wondering what might have been.

He would not be where he was, a champion, the champion, without him. He knew it and everyone around him needed to know it. He had that leeway. But he was the selfish bastard. He had been chosen, his friend had not. He was molded into everything the WWE wanted, whereas he wasn’t. He couldn’t get him to stay, but by God, everyone would have a chance to cheer him. One last time. Then another. Then another. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye. His friend taught him how to. Every time he pulled him out backstage to get ovations from the fans, he never spoke of himself. He put him over. Again. Again and again. Saying how good he was, how strong Roman was, that the Shield meant that you could achieve anything. Well that was what he was doing now. But he would always feel the regret of not noticing his soul mate fade right in front of him, to the point that he had almost lost their shared passion of wrestling. 

He could only hope that this change would be enough.

 

Remorse 

Was it his fault? If he hadn’t gotten sick, his friend would have never had to say the words that helped to push him over the edge. Was it his heritage, his name, that made Vince and the others look at him like he was the golden boy, made to outshine and force his friend into the shadows?  
The two of them were so different, yet they had become the best of friends. He could always count on him to be standing next to him. But underneath the layer of loyalty was an innate knowledge and confidence in who he was. And for whatever reason, management couldn’t see that. His friend was too strong to be contained. He would do what he was asked, but he refused to lose himself to the corporation, like so many others had.

So, when he came back, he wanted to pull his friend to him. Remind him of the good times and the good times ahead. If he left, a part of him wondered if he would feel that sadness for not doing enough. He was the leader of the locker room, why couldn’t he save his best friend? Why couldn’t he see what was happening? His friend assured him that he held no resentment towards him, that they would always be brothers, but that he could not stay for him or for the family they had built. That sorrow would stay with him, but he promised his friend that he understood. If he was happy, the distance was worth it. Their bond would never be destroyed. They were only a phone call away. He knew  
that if he ever needed him, and vice versa, that he would be by his side. This was where the roads switched for them. This was the end of the line, but hopefully, it would lead to happiness and a stronger bond. Hopefully.

That hope was enough. It had to be. 

 

Relief

Relief. She felt relief. He hadn’t been happy in a long time. She watched as he transformed into another person the day that he had to go the arena. It was like he was pushing himself, mentally preparing for the battle ahead. Then he would do the show and come home almost broken and she would try and put him back together. He never complained to his friends, said that it wasn’t worth it.

But she saw it. She saw the weight of what was happening. The man who had once loved wrestling, who loved performing, who’s creative juices ran through his veins, was now being crushed by it. He wasn’t like some of the others. His reward was his craft rather than his paycheck. But he knew his worth and he would never get it there. It broke her heart as she sat at the announce table and saw the despair that he was in. He was her husband; he couldn’t hide from her. She knew something would have to change. 

So, when he told her of his choice, all she could do was embrace him. He chose to ride out his contract, at least partially, for her. He didn’t want to hurt her or jeopardize her position. A large part of her wanted to tell him to leave, to jump and damn the consequences. She was the more impulsive one. Anything for him to have that smile back. But her husband was always the planner, he had a strategy in mind and he needed to do it his way. And he would. 

He would smile again, and that would be enough.


End file.
